10 Sep Horsepower on the Wrist

Jacob & Co. x Bugatti Tourbillon Baguette Is a Hypercar-Inspired Mechanical Jewel

By any standard, Jacob & Co. is no stranger to excess. Bugatti? Even less so. But when the two brands collaborate, the result isn’t just extreme—it’s operatic. Enter the Tourbillon Baguette, a timepiece so audacious, so mechanically over-the-top, it makes other luxury watches feel like seatbelt warning lights. This isn’t just a watch. It’s a micro-engineered tribute to Bugatti’s W16 hypercars, dressed in haute joaillerie.

At the center of the Tourbillon Baguette beats an automaton that mimics Bugatti’s most famous powertrain: the W16 engine. Every 15 seconds, 16 sapphire pistons rise and fall in perfect unison, driven by a single mechanical crankshaft—just like the full-size monster it’s modeled after. It’s not a gimmick; it’s a kinetic sculpture, engineered with the same obsessive precision that defines both Bugatti’s supercars and Jacob & Co.’s finest horology. Powering this wrist-bound engine is the JCAM37 caliber, a hand-wound movement made up of 578 individual components, delivering a robust 60-hour power reserve. A 30-degree inclined flying tourbillon floats inside the case, enhancing both accuracy and visual drama—a Jacob & Co. signature.

The case is a 55 × 44 mm tonneau-shaped monolith, crafted from 18K gold and dressed in over 400 baguette-cut diamonds or sapphires. It’s not sparkle for sparkle’s sake—this is architectural brilliance, each gem meticulously aligned to form a seamless, liquid-like surface. Seven sapphire crystal panels encase the structure, giving collectors and onlookers a 360-degree view of the mechanical artistry inside. From every angle, the Tourbillon Baguette demands your full attention.

Three crowns are subtly integrated at the base of the case: one winds the movement, one sets the time, and one activates the automaton. This base-mounted design removes the need for traditional side crowns, keeping the case profile symmetrical and sculptural—more in line with a collector’s object than a daily-wearer.

Only 18 pieces of the Tourbillon Baguette will ever be produced, and each one is destined for private jets, climate-controlled watch vaults, or the wrists of those who consider Veyrons a bit pedestrian. Pricing is unlisted, of course, but safely sits in the “if you have to ask…” category.

With the Tourbillon Baguette, Jacob & Co. and Bugatti have done more than collaborate—they’ve created a new genre: the wearable hypermachine. This is not just a timepiece. It’s a testament to mechanical indulgence, a tribute to speed, precision, and uncompromising design. For the fortunate few who acquire it, the Tourbillon Baguette is more than a watch—it’s a statement of power, passion, and peak engineering.

Written & Curated by Ozzie Small